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Thu, 24 Nov 2005

JP/WIC's 'White Elephant' still annual bazaar's favorite

WIC's 'White Elephant' still annual bazaar's favorite

Tertiani ZB Simanjuntak, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

As one of the most anticipated annual events, the two-day 38th Women's International Club (WIC)'s bazaar is an oasis for those who are looking for inexpensive, high quality goods from all over the world.

Opened on Wednesday by Vice President Jusuf Kalla's wife, Mufidah (center), the bazaar's visitors -- mostly by invitation -- were taken on tour to see the 34 stands from foreign embassies, 200 business stalls and charity stalls as well as WIC's own stand by bazaar committee chairwoman Rita Pusponegoro (left).

The favorite is the White Elephant stand, famous for its secondhand goods donated by the members.

"We have been sorting through the goods for the sale since February ... When the bazaar is open to the public tomorrow, this stand will be the busiest one," said White Elephant supervisor Elmira Bambang.

The 55-year-old WIC is a non-profit organization, known for its programs and activities to raise funds for charitable foundations.

The proceeds of the bazaar, put together with donations from WIC members, foreign representatives and the public go to the organization's scholarship programs and other humanitarian projects selected by the Bazaar Proceeds Committee.

The committee consists of WIC members and the wives of ambassadors as the organization's honorary members.

This year, the committee was led by former WIC president Siti Bambang Utoyo, Enid Humfrey of Great Britain, Fatimah Awad of Palestine, Linda Rasam of Suriname and Win Win Nyunt of Myanmar.

The committee has proposed that the fund be used to renovate and refurbish school buildings for the poor and students with disabilities in addition to providing wheelchairs, artificial arms, heart pacemakers and eye surgery for the needy.

"We are grateful to Jakarta people for supporting us in raising money to help the needy in our community," WIC president Nancy WR Fatwan said. The WIC bazaar is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, with entrance tickets at Rp 5,000.